Rock boring cutter with internal vibrator

ABSTRACT

A boring device is disclosed having a roller equipped with one or more ring teeth. The roller is caused to vibrate by an internally mounted bob weight. The bearings supporting the roller are of a resilient material to insulate the supporting structure for the roller from the vibration of the roller. In one form of the invention the roller has plural ring teeth of varying diameter and in another form, plural rollers are used with the ring teeth of one roller positioned at an acute angle to those of an adjacent roller.

United States Patent Bechem 1 Jan. 14, 1975 [54] ROCK BORING CUTTER WITH INTERNAL 3,082,668 3/1963 Matson 404/117 VIBRATOR 3,554,604 l/197l Sugden 299/14 X 3,645,579 2/1972 Marcovitch 299/75 Inventor: Karl Gunther Bechem, Berchum, 3,695,721 10/1972 Jungel 299/14 x Germany [73] ASSignee: J. C. Soding & Hfil a Primary ExaminerErnest R. Purser l-lagen/Westfalen, Germany Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Price, Heneveld, Huizenga 22 Filed: Nov. 28, 1972 COOP [21] Appl. No.: 309,958

[57] ABSTRACT Foreign Application Priority Data A boring device is disclosed having a roller equipped Nov. 30, 1971 Germany 2159351 with one or more ring teeth. The roller is caused to vibrate by an internally mounted bob weight. The bear- [52] U.S. Cl 299/86, 173/43, 175/55, ings supporting the roller are of a resilient material to 299/14, 299/75 insulate the supporting structure for the roller from [51} Int. Cl. E2lc 37/20 the vibration of the roller. In one form of the inven- [58] Field of Search 299/14, 37, 69, 70, 86; tion the roller has plural ring teeth of varying diameter 175/343, 373, 55; 404/117, 121 and in another form, plural rollers are used with the ring teeth of one roller positioned at an acute angle to [56] References Cited those of an adjacent roller.

McCallum 299/89 X 9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN 1 4 I975 SHEEI 1 [IF 4 PAIENTED JAN I M975 SHEET 30F 4 PATENTEI] JAN 1 48975 SHEET 0F 4 ROCK BORING CUTTER WITH INTERNAL 'VIBRATOR BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Field to which Invention Relates This invention relates to a rock boring device and more particularly to such a device comprising at least one rock cutting roller which is carried on at least one side in a holding means in a rotatable manner and is provided with a rotary bob weight vibrator arranged inside the roller. Such rock boring devices can be used more particularly for boring shafts, tunnels and the like.

2. The Prior Art In accordance with a previous proposal (see Italian Pat. specification No. 662,198) vibrators were to be arranged in the interior of hollow roller type cutting tools in such a manner that the vibrator acted on the roller cutting tools independently from the bearing means.

In accordance with a further previous proposal a working head equipped with roller type cutting tools and forming part of a rock boring device, such as a device for tunneling or digging shafts or the like, was to have the feature that the boring means of the roller type cutter on one tool body can be moved against the spring force towards the rock to be cut and then moved again away from the rock. Furthermore, in accordance with this prior construction (see German Pat. specification No. 1,953,550) each cutting roller is provided with a vibrator which causes the cutting roller to vibrate in a direction parallel to the possible movement of the bearing means. The vibrators are accommodated inside the hollow roller type cutting tools and act on the latter independently from their bearing means.

In the last mentioned working head vibrators driven by compressed air are located in the roller type cutting tools. An important feature in the case of this construction is that the roller type cutting tools are fixed in bearing elements, which are again carried by a fixed machine part in a resilient manner. The vibrators therefore not only have to bring about movement of the mass of the roller type cutting tools but must also move the mass of their hearing means on the fixed machine part.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION One aim of the invention is to provide a rock boring device in the case of which the vibratory energy produced by the bob weight vibrator is practically completely imparted to the roller and not to the roller carrying means as well so that the vibratory energy is practically completely available as energy for boring. Furthermore, the invention is intended to bring about a damping of vibrations and impacts on the rock formation to be bored through.

The present invention consists in a rock boring device comprising a roller holder, a roller arranged to rotate about an axis for cutting rock, bearing means carrying the roller and arranged on at least one side of a plane perpendicular to the axis and passing through the roller, and a rotary bob weight vibrator arranged inside the roller and carried in the frame so that relative radially directed movement which is resiliently opposed can take place.

The roller can naturally be provide with bearing means engaging it on each side, that is to say on both sides of the plane. The bearing means can either be in the form of at least one pin extending into the interior of the roller or the roller can be provided with at least one pin which fits into a corresponding bearing recess in the roller holder or frame. It is important that the intermediate space between the roller and its corre sponding bearing surface on the roller holder is taken up by an elastic material which makes possible the desired resilient effect.

If the roller is to remain stationary in relation to the roller holder, then it is possible in accordance with a further development of the invention for the bearing surface on the roller to slide on the bearing surface of the roller holder. This sliding action can be achieved, for example, by providing for lubrication between the bearing surfaces of the roller and the bearing means.

If, on the other hand, no such sliding action or lubrication is provided for and the arrangement is such that the bearing surfaces of the roller and the roller holding means make frictional engagement, the roller rotates on its own bearing means in the same or the opposite direction to that of the rotating bob weight vibrator. The speed of rotation of the roller can be changed by the varying the speed of rotation of the bob weight vibrator. It is thus possible to use such a roller to produce a smooth scratching action.

Changing the speed of rotation can also be achieved by ensuring that in the rotating bob weight vibrator the spacing of the bob weight from the axis of rotation of the vibrator can be changed. Since the speed of rotation in relation to the bearing means is also dependent on the diameter of the bearing pin, it is readily possible with a device in accordance with the invention to set the speed of rotation in accordance with the speed of rotation necessary at the site of application of a rock boring device in accordance with the invention simply by making a suitable selection of these diameters.

Preferably at least the one roller provided on the boring device is equipped with a cutting ring or ring tooth.

It is naturally possible to arrange several such ring teeth on it also or to provide a number of individual teeth which are arranged in a suitable grouping on the outer periphery of the roller.

The boring device in accordance with the invention is more particularly for cutting or removing rock by means of a boring roller holder or carrier which can be displaced towards the rock which is to be cut away or mined and whose boring rollers are inclined in a plane containing their axes and the direction of advance and have several ring teeth, which cut into the rock substantially in the direction of advance.

Although the French Pat. specification No. 1,597,434 describes a device for mining rock and which has a head rotating about a substantially horizontal axis and carries arms on booms, these arms are swung towards and away from the axis of rotation in a plane containing the axis of rotation, and the ring tooth rotates spirally on the boring roller on rotation of the boring head on the tunnel face of the like and mine the rock at this position.

On the other hand, there is the advantage with the invention that with each stroke several layers are removed and it is possible to use not only one boring head, but each boring head, which is moved in the desired manner.

The procedure in accordance with the invention is such that the boring roller holder is moved, for cutting the first kerf in a conventional manner substantially in the direction of the plane of the ring teeth perpendicularly to the direction of advance, the roller holder is then moved laterally with respect to this kerf and is moved in the direction opposite to the first movement, then this reciprocating movement is carried out until the lateral end of the surface on which cutting is carried out is reached, the boring roller holder is advanced in the direction of advance by an amount corresponding to the sum of the breadth of the ring teeth and the reciprocating movement is continued with displacement in the opposite direction until the starting kerf is reached and this procedure is repeated until the desired depth of cutting or rock removal has been achieved.

In the case of the one movement the ring teeth which are stepped in the other direction certainly run idly, something which, however, offers the advantage of saving in tool wear. In the case of movement in the other direction these teeth are then under load.

The roller holder can be guided along a curved path during its cutting movement, though it can be moved along a straight path which is perpendicular to the direction of advance, during the cutting movement.

Finally, the method can be used, on the basis of the principle given in the French Pat. specification No. 1,597,434 so that the movements which are carried out perpendicularly to each other and to the direction of advance are combined by rotating the holder about the direction of advance to achieve a spiral movement.

A device for carrying out this method can comprise a boring roller holder which at its end which is foremost in the direction of advance has at least one boring roller which is provided with several ring teeth, which decrease in diameter from a central ring tooth in an outward direction, and the boring roller holder is mounted on a carriage, which is provided with means for moving the boring roller holder in a direction perpendicular to the direction of advance and the boring roller holder can be guided in a direction which is perpendicular to this latter direction and also to the direction of movement.

Preferably the second movement, which is perpendicular to the direction of advance, is a swinging movement about the axis of the transverse movement of the boring roller holder.

The difficulty due to the fact that the central tooth, which must operate in the case of both directions, must be made stronger to a suitable degree, because it is subjected to a greater load, can be avoided by adopting the feature that cylindrical ring tooth rollers, arranged in tandem with respect to each other and obliquely set to each other are used.

This device can also be so constructed that at least two tandem arranged ring tooth rollers are provided which have ring teeth whose diameter increases from the center to the outside.

The ring tooth rollers arranged in tandem can be arranged in a stepped fashion in the direction of the axis of advance.

LIST OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF DRAWINGS Embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partial section showing the bearing means of a roller in a rock boring device in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a modified embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of a detail of construction in order to indicate the manner of operation of a multiple ring to roller, as used in the case of method in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment in the case of which the boring head rotates about an axis which coincides with the direction of rotation.

FIG. 7 shows stepped rollers in order to indicate their action on the rock which is to be cut away or removed.

FIG. 8 shows a cylindrical roller to illustrate its action on the rock which is to be removed.

FIG. 9 shows a front view of a preferred embodiment of a rock cutting roller.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1 reference numerals l and 2 denote the bearing means for a roller 3 inside which a bob weight 4 can be displaced in the direction indicated by the arrow 5 and can be fixed in position. This bob weight is shown in two positions, of which the inner wall is denoted by reference numeral 4'. The bob weight is part of a bob weight vibrator, which is arranged in the interior of the roller 3 and whose connection is, however, not shown in order to simplify the drawing. The roller 3 has two pins 6 and 7, which are journalled in holders 1 and 2 with the interposition of elastic seals 8 and 9. The pins 6 and 7 can slide on the elastic bearings 8 and 9, but without much friction. In the latter case the roller 3 not only moves owing to the movement of the bob weight 4 of the bob weight vibrator, but also turns in relation to the holder 1, 2 opposite to the direction of movement of the bob weight of the bob weight vibrator inside the roller 3. l I

By varying the distance between the center of gravity of the bob weight 4 from the axis of rotation shown in broken lines it is possible to change not only the frequency of vibration but also the speed of rotation of the roller 3 in relation to the holder 1, 2 if there is a certain degree of friction between the pins 6 and 7 and the elastic bearings 8 and 9. This principle still applies when several bob weights are present which can be adjusted in relation to each other.

FIG. 2 shows an arrangement in the case of which the roller consists of a ring 11, which carries a cutting ring 12, which is fixed by means of the shoulder rings 13 and 14 on the roller 11. The roller 11 carries bearings 15 and 16; and 17 and 18, respectively, which are made of material with different resilient properties. This bearing material 15, 16; and 17, 18 is mounted on the pins 19 and 20 of the holders 21 and 22. Inside the roller a bob weight vibrator 23 is provided which is journalled by means of the ball bearing 24, 25 in relation to the ring 11. Supply of power to the bob weight vibrator 23 with the bob weight 26 is carried out by means of which are not shown in the drawing in order to simplify it. The bob weight 26 can be adjusted in accordance with the bob weight 4 of FIG. 1 towards the broken line axis of the arrangement.

By changing the elasticity of the elastic bearing 15,

16 and 17, 18 or by selection of suitably different elastic bearing rings it is readily possible to influence the vibrations. In this case as well the principle described in connection with FIG. 1 also applies, that is to say that the roller is stationary in relation to the holder 21, 22, when between the pins 19 and 20 and their inner bearing rings 16 and 18 lubrication, for example, is provided for improving the sliding behavior. If this lubrication is not provided for and if there is a certain frictional engagement, the roller 11 rotates in relation to the holder 21, 22 with a speed which is dependent on the frequency of the vibrator 23. In the latter case the roller can be used as a drive roller in the rock boring device in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a carriage 31 which runs on wheels 32, 33, 34 and at its front end has a boom 35 holding the rock boring roller carrier 36, which can be swung by means, which are not specially shown in the drawing, about the axis 37 out of the plane of the drawing into the open space and back again. The boom 35 can be swung by means of a device, not shown, which is accommodated in the carriage, for movement about the pivot axis 35a in the direction of the arrow A. Naturally the directions of the axes 35a and 37 can be changed over and in this case the axis of the roller 38 as well is swung through 90 out of the position shown in FIG. 3.

The rock boring roller 38 has for example the shape shown in FIG. 5. It rotates about the arrow B and in doing this rolls in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. After the first cut there is the movement in the direction of the arrow A. There is a central ring tooth 39 and laterally with respect to it adjacent ring teeth 40, 41, 42 and 43, corresponding to ring teeth 40, 41, 42' and 43 arranged on the other side. The roller cut into the rock in the manner shown in FIG. 5 as it moves.

An arrangement in the case of which there is no pivoting movement but only translation is shown in FIG. 4. There is again a carriage 31 running on wheels 32', 33 and 34'. The head 44 carries a device which makes it possible to move the rock boring roller carrier 36' in the direction of the arrow A downwards and back again in an upward direction. The roller is denoted by reference numeral 38'. The removal of the rock is carried out exactly as was the case with the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 5, as is clearly shown in FIG. 4. The carrier must naturally be capable of being moved in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.

If in the case of the embodiment described the rock wall is to be removed using a kerf perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, the carrier 36 is moved downwards or upwards and the next cut is carried out. The movement in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing is indicated by the dovetail guide means 44'.

FIG. 6 shows an arrangement in the case of which the arrangement 48 rotates in the direction of the arrow C. The arrangement carries the rock boring roller carriers 49 and 50, which can be moved backwards and forwards as indicated by the double arrows in a swinging fashion. The swinging movement can be produced for example by means of the pressure cylinders or rams 51 and 52. The rock boring roller carrier is mounted on a respective boom 53 and 54.

For the sake of simplicity the rock boring rollers are not shown but are in accordance with the embodiment of anyone of FIGS. 3 to 5, for example.

In order in the case of the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 5 to avoid double loading of the center ring tooth 39, it is possible to provide also two obliquely set boring rollers in tandem. Such obliquely set multiple ring tooth rollers are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 shows in this respect an arrangement in the case of which the diameter of the ring teeth 55, 56 and 57 decrease in the direction of cutting while FIG. 8 shows an arrangement in which on a cylindrical base body 58 ring teeth 59, 60, 61, 62 and 63 are provided having the same diameter.

In the case of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 rollers, having a different direction of tilt, can be provided behind the rollers shown so that as regards the manner of operation a roller system is produced which is shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 7 there is shown diagrammatically in broken lines as indicated by reference numerals 55, 56 and 57'.

FIG. 9 shows a cutting roller with several ring teeth 71, 72, 73, 74 and 75. The diameters of the ring teeth decrease to the outside away from the center ring tooth 73. Reference numeral 77 denotes a rotary pin which is journalled in the frame 79 of the cutting roller 70 with the interposition of an intermediate layer 78. Arrow X denotes the direction of movement of the unit in cutting or removing stone towards one side while arrow Y denotes the pressing action on cutting into the rock and in the case of movement of the unit in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing while the arrow Z denotes the rotation of the unit in the case of its use as a rock boring tool. Naturally a combination of all these movements is possible. The arrow S denotes a pivoting movement of the unit which may be convenient when during the case of removement of material in the direction of the arrow X a thick layer is to be removed, if suitable ground conditions are present.

We claim:

1. A rock boring device comprising a roller holder, a cutting ridge equipped roller arranged to rotate about an axis for cutting rock, a support element and bearing means carrying the roller on said support element and arranged on at least one side of a plane perpendicular to the axis and passing through the roller, said bearing means being of an elastic material for damping the transmission of radial movement of the roller to said support means and a rotary bob weight vibrator arranged inside the roller and carried in the frame so that relative radially directed movement which is resiliently opposed can take place.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, in which a bearing face on the roller is arranged to slide on a bearing face of said elastic material bearing means.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the interface between said roller and said bearing means is lubricated whereby rotation of the roller with respect to the roller holder will not occur.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, in which a bearing face on the roller is in non sliding frictional engagement with a bearing face on the roller holder.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1, in which the bob weight vibrator is mounted for variable radial spacing from the axis of the roller.

6. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which a sleeve-like element is provided for supporting said cutting ridge in non-rotatable relationship, a low-friction bearing mounting said bob weight within said sleeve, said bearing means mounting said sleeve on said supporting element.

7. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said roller has a plurality of parallel circular cutting ridges,

a circle.

9. A device as described in claim 1 wherein a pair of rollers are provided each having a cutting ridge, the cutting ridge on one roller being at an acute angle to the cutting ridge of the other. 

1. A rock boring device comprising a roller holder, a cutting ridge equipped roller arranged to roTate about an axis for cutting rock, a support element and bearing means carrying the roller on said support element and arranged on at least one side of a plane perpendicular to the axis and passing through the roller, said bearing means being of an elastic material for damping the transmission of radial movement of the roller to said support means and a rotary bob weight vibrator arranged inside the roller and carried in the frame so that relative radially directed movement which is resiliently opposed can take place.
 2. A device in accordance with claim 1, in which a bearing face on the roller is arranged to slide on a bearing face of said elastic material bearing means.
 3. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the interface between said roller and said bearing means is lubricated whereby rotation of the roller with respect to the roller holder will not occur.
 4. A device in accordance with claim 1, in which a bearing face on the roller is in non-sliding frictional engagement with a bearing face on the roller holder.
 5. A device in accordance with claim 1, in which the bob weight vibrator is mounted for variable radial spacing from the axis of the roller.
 6. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which a sleeve-like element is provided for supporting said cutting ridge in non-rotatable relationship, a low-friction bearing mounting said bob weight within said sleeve, said bearing means mounting said sleeve on said supporting element.
 7. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said roller has a plurality of parallel circular cutting ridges, the middle one of said ridges being of the greatest diameter with those of the cutting edges on each side thereof being of progressively lesser diameter.
 8. A device in accordance with claim 7 wherein said cutting ridges have spaced notches whereby each cutting ridge consists of a plurality of spaced segments of a circle.
 9. A device as described in claim 1 wherein a pair of rollers are provided each having a cutting ridge, the cutting ridge on one roller being at an acute angle to the cutting ridge of the other. 